After the passing of a loved one abroad, most families decide to bring them back to Poland to arrange a final farewell and burial in their home country. From a legal standpoint, transporting an urn with ashes is less complicated and involves lower costs than transporting a coffin. However, this does not mean that the transport of an urn with ashes is not subject to specific regulations and procedures.
First, the deceased’s family or a funeral company authorized by them must submit an application for burial permission to the starost (district governor) or city mayor responsible for the place of burial. The next step is to obtain a certificate from the Polish consul in the country where the death occurred, confirming there are no objections to transporting the urn. You must also prepare the death certificate or another document confirming the death, a cremation certificate, and check whether translations into Polish are required.
Each country may have slightly different regulations regarding this matter. BONGO has been providing comprehensive services for the transport of ashes from abroad for many years and has the necessary experience and knowledge of current legal requirements. As a result, we can organize the transport efficiently, quickly, and in accordance with local laws and customs.
An urn can be transported by plane, ship, or train. It is always essential to check the internal regulations of the carrier before transportation. An urn can also be transported by private car. In each case, it must be carefully secured, and the method of transport must ensure proper respect for the dignity of the deceased.
An urn may not be sent by courier companies unless they offer such services. Sending an urn as a regular courier package will result in its detention by Customs, which may cause serious complications.
There are no formal objections to doing so. However, it is strongly recommended to entrust the transport to a funeral company that specializes in such services. This helps avoid errors and missing documentation, which could lead to serious problems with the burial and registering the death with the Polish Civil Registry Office.
The consequences in such cases depend on the circumstances and how the act is classified. It may be treated as a misdemeanor, which involves a fine, or in more serious cases, as a criminal offense of desecrating remains or ashes, which could result in imprisonment.
BONGO has over 67 years of experience in providing international funeral services, including the repatriation of urns with ashes of the deceased. Please contact us if you need assistance in bringing your loved ones back to their homeland:
+48 22 831 00 36
biuro@bongo.com.pl
Transport by Country
An independent expert in the funeral industry, author of the blog Celebruj Wspomnienia (“Celebrate Memories”), and editor-in-chief of THANOS magazine — the official publication issued by the World Organization of Funeral Operatives FIAT-IFTA. She has written nearly one hundred articles and conducted dozens of interviews on topics related to trends, marketing, and the sale of funeral services. Katarzyna constantly follows developments in the industry, discovering innovations that transform the way funeral services are perceived. Her unique approach — combining insight, courage, and respect — attracts the attention of both professionals and those outside the field. She collaborates with market leaders, including Grupa KLEPSYDRA S.A.strong>
A funeral, regardless of religion, is an event filled with symbolism and emotion. Although rituals may differ, the common denominator remains respect — for the deceased, their family, and the tradition in which they were raised. It is this respect that forms the foundation of funeral etiquette.
The death of a loved one abroad places the family in a difficult situation. Repatriating the body to the home country is a complex process, both in terms of formalities and logistics, and it also involves considerable costs.
When death occurs outside the place of residence of the deceased or their family — or when the relatives wish to bury their loved one in a different location — an additional challenge arises: transporting the body from one city to another. This task can be efficiently carried out with the support of a professional funeral company.
+48 22 831 00 36 
biuro@bongo.com.pl 
